The Life and Poetry of George Darley

Book excerpt: This book is a monumental work on the late Romantic Irish poet, George Darley, with a scholarly edition of his complete poetry and a new biography. The text of each poem is meticulously edited from manuscript and printed sources. For the first time, Darley is established as a translator of the First Book of Virgil’s Æneid. A newly discovered manuscript of Darley’s 70 Lenimina Laborum poems enriches the edition, while the celebrated Nepenthe is authoritatively presented with Darley’s manuscript running headnotes. The book introduces over 40 new manuscript letters by Darley, and discusses contemporary reviews of his work and a century of critical commentary. Darley’s influence on Tennyson is evaluated and his vast periodical contributions are examined. In addition, the insightful interpretation of Nepenthe by Edward Hutchinson Synge is presented. This book will be of great interest to scholars of the Romantic period, readers of contemporary periodical journalism, and students of Irish literary history.